Culture shock rating

Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.

Low

Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.

Medium

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.

High

You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.

Medium

Physicality

Physical rating

Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.

Low

Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.

Medium

Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

High

Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.

Low

TOUR SNAPSHOT

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I very much enjoyed this tour. The tour guide was very enthusiastic and I loved the food that we tasted.

Mr. Jeroen W., United Kingdom - 27 Oct 2018

Tan was an excellent guide and we had a great experience.

Mrs. Anna W., United Kingdom - 19 Aug 2018

Tan was a fantastic guide lots of local knowledge and a very good sense of humour

Mr. John M., Australia - 10 Aug 2018

Tour snapshot

Saigon. A true culinary master. Legend, in fact. Get right down to the soul of this beast of a food city and spend three hours eating like a local. It may seem like non-stop culinary decadence because that’s just what it is. And you’re gonna love it.

Schedule details

We all know Vietnam is an absolute legend when it comes to street food, and if you want to make the most of your time (and stomach space), you’ll want to head out with an in-the-know local to pick out the best of the best of Saigon’s street food. Put your eating pants on and follow us!

Our Saigon food tour kicks off with some authentic local appetizers such as chao muc (a dry squid porridge) and xa xui (Cantonese barbecued pork). Learn how Chinese food has been integrated into Vietnamese cuisine as you inhale the spicy flavours of the street stalls and watch local life unfold before your eyes in the heart of Saigon.

Our immersion into local life continues as we make our way to the corner of Nguyen Cong Tru and Calmette for a unique street food called banh bo banh tieu, which recalls memories of many Saigoneses’ childhoods.

This spot is also a good place to learn about Calmette and Yersin, the two disciples of Pasteur who greatly contributed to the health health system in Vietnam. The Pasteur Institute in Saigon is the first one outside of France, and was set up by Calmette, and the one in Nha Trang was started by Yersin – who was also the founder of the University of Medicine of Hanoi and discovered the bacteria that causes Black Death. This is why these three names are among the last remaining French names in HCMC.

On the way to our next food stop, we will pass by Chua Ba Thien Hau, which means the Goddess of the Sea. This former Chinese community house honours Chinese immigration to Saigon through the different periods of Cantonese, Teochew and Hakka.

It wouldn’t be a true local experience without enjoying coffee the way Saigonese coffee aficionados do on a daily basis. We’ll head to a popular local hem of Saigon to enjoy a cup. We’ll show you the local style of taking your coffee and you’ll feel right at home!

Next up on our Saigon food adventure is another one of the city’s iconic street food dishes: ha cao (Chinese-style dim-sum), bo bia (Saigonese spring roll) and bo cuon mo chai (barbecued beef meatballs). These dishes are some of the most popular and preferred dishes by southerners, and you can find them everywhere, from street stalls to fancy restaurants. What makes them so beloved is that the ingredients are so strikingly simple, yet the tastes and flavours are truly unforgettable (we promise).

We’ll then head to Bui Vien to pick up a Vietnamese fried banana for dessert, a new version of the traditional version that is crazy popular with locals.

We’ll cap off our Saigon street food tour with, what else, street beer! At this street beer stall we’ll outfit you with a cold Saigon beer and the chance to mingle with locals – not a bad way to end the evening, is it?!

We’ve reached the end, but your local guide is happy to provide tips for exploring the area further, or assist you in getting a taxi back to your accommodation.

Additional information

Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, all food items as per itinerary, one coffee, one beer.

Exclusions: Items of a personal nature, additional food and drinks, tips / gratuities for local guide.

Dress standard: Light and comfortable clothing is recommended

Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.

Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point.
Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.

Additional Information: Please inform your local guide about any food allergies you may have. Unfortunately, we cannot cater to vegetarians or vegan travellers.
Please note that this tour visits independent, family-owned businesses whose operating schedules and menus may change. Therefore, street food venues and local dishes often vary; your local guide will make any final adjustments on the spot.

Closure of sites: Please note that this tour visits independent, family-owned businesses whose operating schedules and menus may change. Therefore, street food venues and local dishes often vary; your local guide will make any final adjustments on the spot.

Child Policy: Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children below the age of 6 are not permitted on this tour.

Dietary Notes

Please inform your local guide about any food allergies you may have. Unfortunately, we cannot cater to vegetarians or vegan travellers.

Traveller rating

Rating summary

Mr. Jeroen W. from United Kingdom travelled on 27 Oct 2018

I very much enjoyed this tour. The tour guide was very enthusiastic and I loved the food that we tasted.

Mrs. Anna W. from United Kingdom travelled on 19 Aug 2018

Tan was an excellent guide and we had a great experience.

Mr. John M. from Australia travelled on 10 Aug 2018

Tan was a fantastic guide lots of local knowledge and a very good sense of humour

Ms. Michaela W. from Australia travelled on 24 Jun 2018

This tour was incredible - we got to see the street food of Ho Chi Minh. Our guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable and took us to a variety of places, ending at a super cute coffee shop where we chatted about life in Vietnam while drinking delicious iced coffee. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone.

Mrs. Joanne L. from Australia travelled on 28 May 2018

Queenie our guide was fantastic. She was informative and fun whilst showing us local life of the city. The tour had just the right mix of food, drink and pace. We wouldn't hesitate to do another tour or reccomend street eats, especially with Queenie as your guide.

Ms. Lauren R. from USA travelled on 06 Mar 2018

Probably the best food tour I've ever taken

Ms. Joyce R. from USA travelled on 01 May 2017

A ton of delicious food and we really enjoyed Ruby, our guide. A note to future guests, pace youself, we were SO FULL!

Ms. Christine D. from Australia travelled on 13 Mar 2017

Fu (not sure on the spelling) was great

Ms. Amy C. from United Kingdom travelled on 12 Feb 2017

Our tour guide Fu was great, so friendly, happy and informative!

Mr. Alistair S. from United Kingdom travelled on 25 Jan 2017

Excellent guide with great extra information

Ms. Emily B. from Australia travelled on 23 Jan 2017

Tan was such a great guide, we all felt like friends straight away and the stops we made were amazing. He included all of the group and made us feel at ease while being very knowledgeable about all of the places we stopped, the food we ate and the history of Vietnamese cuisine. Great value for money and a real highlight for us!

Mr. Matthew F. from United Kingdom travelled on 03 Dec 2016

Excellent guide. She was knowledgeable and entertaining and went out of her way to cater for everyone in the group. It was a really worth while experience and a great way to see different parts of the city.

Ms. Helen W. from Australia travelled on 16 Nov 2016

Tan was great, very enthusiastic about everything, went out of his way to fill our needs. Lots of knowledge and great recommendations for where we should stop to eat. The only thing was i was charged an international transaction fee on the booking when I booked in Australia, on an Australian card. I am a travel agent and just thought it was a bit strange.

Mrs. Rena K. from Japan travelled on 10 Nov 2016

Tan was very enthusiastic, patient when answering questions, and knowledgeable.

Ms. Fiona B. from United Kingdom travelled on 31 Oct 2016

Great guide. Particularly liked visiting the hidden apartment coffee shop. Definitely wouldn't have picked to eat in those places on my own!!

Ms. Kylie M. from Australia travelled on 30 Oct 2016

This tour was fantastic - a great way to experience and get to know about street food in Saigon and to explore the different areas of the city. Hi was a fantastic guide - passionate about her city and the traditional food.

Mr. keith w. from Australia travelled on 24 Oct 2016

Our tour guide was magnificent, very helpful and knowledgeable. We sampled different styles of food, drinks and savories, the night was capped of with coffee in a local restaurant and a beer at the market.

Ms. Lisa M. from USA travelled on 05 Oct 2016

Our guide was fantastic - personable and knowledgeable, with excellent choice in local dishes. Highly recommend!

Ms. Elba C. from USA travelled on 29 Sep 2016

The guide was great, unfortunately the family I shared this experience with was horrible and really impacted my experience despite all the guides best efforts

Ms. Amanda T. from Australia travelled on 29 Sep 2016

This was a fantastic introduction to local cuisine. Our guide Tan took us to some amazing places that I would never have gone alone. We went back to one of the eateries during the rest of our stay in Saigon. Thank you Tan for sharing your city with us.

Mrs. Jade C. from Australia travelled on 04 Sep 2016

Thank you to the team for being so flexible with our group and changing the departure location at the last minute due to poor weather. We received excellent feedback from everyone and they loved the guides knowledge and of course the food! Thank you

Mrs. Susan B. from New Zealand travelled on 16 Jun 2016

Guide was excellent. Exceeded expectations

Mr. Volker S. from Germany travelled on 15 Jun 2016

Saigon street food by night was an exciting experience, bringing us to a well selected choice of locations. Tan is a very competent guide who cares well for his clients. The food and drinks are tasty and all quite good digestible. With only one exception - already breaded eggs - we dared to taste everything.

Ms. Jenna P. from New Zealand travelled on 20 Apr 2016

I really enjoyed the tour's guide. She was very nice and talkative. However the people on the tour turned their nose up at a lot of the food and did not eat very much. It was hard for me to enjoy it when the others were clearly not liking the food. I would suggest Urban Adventures make two tours - one for Vietnamese beginners to sample a few 'safer' dishes and then the street food tour for those that are a little more adventurous.

Mr. Travis B. from USA travelled on 13 Apr 2016

Hoa was an excellent tour guide! She was very caring, knowledgable, and friendly. I would HIGHLY recommend her and Urban Adventures to everyone I know. Thank you Urban Adventures!

Mrs. Cheryl K. from Australia travelled on 21 Mar 2016

Hoa was a fanatic guide. We really enjoyed the tour .

Ms. Lynette S. from New Zealand travelled on 24 Feb 2016

I recently returned from Vietnam where I experienced Saigon from night. May be my mistake but I had signed up for this tour as thought it was by cyclo. However it was a walking tour so was a bit disappointed. However our guide Va Viet (Peter) changed all that. He was so enthusiastic and made me feel safe with what I was eating. I don't enjoy spicey food so each course he made sure there was an alternative. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. Again well done Urban Adventures

Ms. Gemma A. from Australia travelled on 13 Oct 2015

Annie was a great guide with a great sense of humour. From a tiny cart in a busy street to a small hipster café at the top of a converted apartment building, she took me all over town. We even got a chance to watch the full moon rise over the city while eating freshly made Banh mi. I’d recommend this tour to anyone with a free night in HCMC.